Arif Gürsel is a serial entrepreneur who grew up in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from the historical Tuskegee University with a Computer Science degree before receiving his MBA from the University of Chicago. He is the founder of multiple startups including Floodgate Academy and Vibe Heavy. Arif’s resume, experience and commitment to building community make him one of technologies most influential people to know.

Jaleesa Trapp is a computer science instructor from Tacoma, Washington’s Hill Top neighborhood. After graduating from the University of Washington’s Human Centered Design Engineering program she opted to return to her community to teach coding at the iDEA Innovative School and the Intel Computer Clubhouse where she was first introduced to coding in middle school. She has a deep passion for building community and social justice and will pursue a master’s degree at MIT’s Media Lab this fall.

In this episode, we talk to an impressive young man from South Seattle named Girmay Zahilay.

Girmay immigrated to the United States from Sudan when he was just three 3 years old and despite neither of his parents going to high school or college, he was able to graduate from Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Today he is an attorney and community leader with a deep commitment to disadvantaged youth. He founded Rising Leaders, Inc., a youth leadership and mentorship program which he started in New York City and is bringing to Seattle.

We interview Girmay to understand how his culture and background have shaped his work ethic, leadership style, and commitment to his community.

Welcome to the first episode of the No Blueprint Podcast hosted by Domo and Yoshiko

In this episode, we sit down with David Pierre-Louis and Victor Winston Fitch to discuss how they define culture, its importance in their lives, being inspired by the hustle of the Caribbean people, Japanese culture, minimalism, and travel.

Checkout playlists, photos, and more at NoBlueprintPodcast.com

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David Pierre-­Louis is a leader in organizational, social, and economic development. As a magnate in business development, hospitality and entertainment, he is presently focusing his skills and leadership in cultivating community action and advocating for social change throughout the country of Haiti.

David is the Chief Operating Officer of Haiti Coffee Co., a company geared towards developing and growing Haiti’s coffee industry as a viable global competitor. He is also in the the process of building Kay Tita, a multi­level community resource space that will house the country’s first Impact Hub in Port­-au-­Prince. It will be a center for local entrepreneurial citizens to create a more sustainable future for themselves.

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Winston Fitch is an innovator and ambassador whose family roots can be traced back to Trinidad and Oklahoma. He is the President of Dayspring & Fitch Family Funeral Home and founding partner of Victor International, a trade brokerage and brand development firm. He was raised in Seattle, Washington by entrepreneurial parents before obtaining an economics degree from Central Washington University. He sits on various boards and committees throughout Western Washington & Canada, fostering creative thinking spaces and producing strategic planning and brand development goals within multi-ethnic communities. An active networker and team builder, Winston is a leader in two network marketing businesses and is involved in social issue campaigns affecting underrepresented communities as a promoter of economic development fundamentals.

Welcome to the introduction episode of the No Blueprint Podcast. We introduce ourselves, why we created this podcast and what you can expect this season. Stay tuned and remember to follow us at noblueprintpodcast.com

Yoshiko and Domo currently reside in South Seattle. Wanting to hear stories from amazing folks of color they engage with everyday, they sat with cultural ambassadors to discuss personal narratives, travel, and ambitions. Hear these stories and more, on No Blueprint.

Be sure to follow the journeys of each of their guests via noblueprintpodcast.com and on social media

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